Best Practices for Building and Maintaining HubSpot API Integrations

 

HubSpot’s API ecosystem is a powerful tool for developers and businesses looking to create custom solutions, automate workflows, and integrate HubSpot with other platforms. However, building and maintaining HubSpot API integrations requires careful planning, best practices, and ongoing management to ensure long-term success.

In this blog, we’ll cover essential tips and best practices for developing robust HubSpot API integrations, helping you maximize efficiency and avoid common pitfalls.

Why Use HubSpot API Integrations?

HubSpot API integrations enable businesses to:

  • Automate Processes: Streamline workflows by connecting HubSpot with tools like Salesforce, Slack, or custom apps.
  • Extend HubSpot Functionality: Add custom features that aren’t available out of the box.
  • Centralize Data: Sync data between HubSpot and other platforms to keep your systems aligned.
  • Enhance User Experience: Build tailored solutions for your unique business needs.

Best Practices for Building HubSpot API Integrations

1. Understand the HubSpot API Ecosystem

Before building an integration, familiarize yourself with HubSpot’s API capabilities. HubSpot provides APIs for:

  • CRM: Manage Contacts, Companies, Deals, and Custom Objects.
  • Marketing: Access email events, workflows, and campaigns.
  • CMS: Manage HubDB tables, templates, and content.
  • Tickets and Conversations: Automate customer service processes.

Refer to the HubSpot Developer Documentation for comprehensive details.

2. Use OAuth or Private App Tokens for Authentication

HubSpot supports two main authentication methods:

  • OAuth 2.0: Best for integrations used by multiple accounts or end-users. It offers a secure, scalable authentication process.
  • Private App Tokens: Ideal for internal integrations that need direct access to a specific HubSpot account.

Best Practice: Avoid using API Keys, as they are deprecated and less secure compared to OAuth or private app tokens.

3. Plan Your Data Model

If your integration involves syncing data, map out how data flows between HubSpot and the external platform. Consider:

  • Field Mapping: Align HubSpot properties with corresponding fields in the other system.
  • Custom Objects: Use HubSpot’s Custom Objects for unique data types.
  • Associations: Maintain relationships between objects (e.g., Contacts associated with Deals).

4. Respect API Rate Limits

HubSpot enforces API rate limits to ensure platform stability:

  • Standard Rate Limit: 100 requests per 10 seconds.
  • Higher Limits: Available for Enterprise accounts.

Best Practice: Implement throttling and retry logic in your code to handle rate limits gracefully.

5. Leverage Webhooks for Real-Time Updates

Instead of polling the API for changes, use HubSpot’s Webhooks API to get notified of updates in real time. This is especially useful for:

  • Updating external systems when HubSpot data changes.
  • Triggering workflows in response to events like form submissions or contact updates.

6. Use Pagination and Filtering for Large Data Sets

When retrieving data from HubSpot, use pagination to handle large data sets efficiently. Use query parameters like limitand offset to manage your requests.

Example:


GET https://api.hubapi.com/crm/v3/objects/contacts?limit=100&offset=200

Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN

7. Monitor and Log API Activity

Logging is crucial for debugging and maintaining your integration. Track:

  • API Requests and Responses: Log all requests sent to HubSpot and the corresponding responses.
  • Errors: Capture error messages for debugging.
  • Performance Metrics: Monitor request execution times and system health.

8. Implement Error Handling and Retry Logic

HubSpot APIs may return errors due to rate limits, temporary downtime, or invalid requests. Use error handling to respond appropriately:

  • 4xx Errors: Fix client-side issues, such as invalid parameters.
  • 5xx Errors: Implement retries with exponential backoff for server-side errors.

9. Secure Your Integration

Security is critical when dealing with API integrations. Follow these guidelines:

  • Use HTTPS for all API requests.
  • Store tokens securely using environment variables or a secrets manager.
  • Regularly rotate API tokens to reduce the risk of exposure.
  • Validate incoming Webhook payloads to ensure authenticity.

10. Keep Your Integration Up to Date

HubSpot APIs evolve over time, with new features and deprecations. Stay informed about:

  • API Versioning: HubSpot uses versioned endpoints, ensuring backward compatibility.
  • Deprecation Notices: Regularly check HubSpot’s release notes for upcoming changes.

Best Practices for Maintaining HubSpot API Integrations

1. Test in a Sandbox Environment

Before deploying changes, test your integration in a HubSpot sandbox environment to avoid disrupting production data.

2. Use Dependency Management

If your integration relies on third-party libraries or SDKs, use dependency management tools like npm or pip to keep them updated.

3. Monitor Integration Performance

Use monitoring tools to track API usage, error rates, and performance metrics. Services like New Relic or AWS CloudWatch can help.

4. Document Your Integration

Create clear documentation for your integration, including:

  • Authentication methods.
  • API endpoints used.
  • Data mapping and workflows.

This makes it easier for other developers to maintain or extend the integration.

Example HubSpot API Integration Workflow

Let’s say you want to sync customer orders from an e-commerce platform to HubSpot.

Step 1: Authenticate with HubSpot API

Use OAuth or a private app token to authenticate.

Step 2: Create a Custom Object for Orders

Define a Custom Object schema for orders using the HubSpot API.

Example:



POST https://api.hubapi.com/crm/v3/schemas

Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN

{

"name": "order",

"labels": {

   "singular": "Order",

   "plural": "Orders"

},

"requiredProperties": ["order_id", "amount"],

"properties": [

{

"name": "order_id",

"label": "Order ID",

"type": "string",

"fieldType": "text"

},

{

"name": "amount",

"label": "Amount",

"type": "number",

"fieldType": "number"

}

]

}

Step 3: Sync Order Data

Use the POST endpoint to insert order data into HubSpot:


POST https://api.hubapi.com/crm/v3/objects/order

Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN

Content-Type: application/json 
{

"properties": {

"order_id": "12345",

"amount": 250.00

}

}

 

Conclusion

Building and maintaining HubSpot API integrations can unlock powerful capabilities for your business, from automating workflows to syncing data and enhancing user experiences. By following these best practices, you can ensure your integration is secure, efficient, and future-proof.

Start exploring HubSpot’s API today and take your business operations to the next level!